UK regulator revokes license of Russia-backed broadcaster RT

Britain’s communications regulator has revoked the license of the state-funded Russian broadcaster RT amid concern that its coverage of the war in Ukraine was biased

Russia Ukraine War Media (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Britain’s communications regulator on Friday revoked the license of the state-funded Russian broadcaster RT amid concern that its coverage of the war in Ukraine was biased.

The decision comes as the regulator, Ofcom, conducts 29 investigations into the impartiality of RT’s coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The volume and nature of the issues raised by these inquiries are of “great concern,” the regulator said, particularly because RT had been fined 200,000 pounds for previous violations of impartiality standards.

RT’s funding from the Russian state, as well as the fact that Russia invaded its smaller neighbor, were also part of the decision, Ofcom said.

As a result, Ofcom ruled that RT’s parent company, ANO TV Novosti, isn’t “fit and proper to hold a U.K. broadcast license.” The move is largely symbolic, as the broadcaster is already off the air due to sanctions imposed by the European Union.

“We also note new laws in Russia which effectively criminalise any independent journalism that departs from the Russian state’s own news narrative, in particular in relation to the invasion of Ukraine,’’ the regulator said in a statement. “We consider that given these constraints it appears impossible for RT to comply with the due impartiality rules of our Broadcasting Code in the circumstances.’’

Government minister James Heappey said Ofcom's decision was “very welcome.” But he stressed that “it was the regulator that took the choice rather than government.”